Buk-gu Gwangju to Support Alley-Type Shopping Street Marketing... Up to 9 Million Won

Recruitment of Participating Shopping Streets Until May 28
Approximately 20 Locations to Be Selected for Implementation in the Second Half of the Year

Buk-gu District in Gwangju is launching the "Alley-Type Shopping Street Joint Marketing Support Project" to strengthen the self-sufficiency of struggling local commercial districts and help boost small businesses' sales. The district plans to discover unique marketing events that highlight the characteristics of each commercial area to draw in residents and revitalize the local economy.

On May 21, Buk-gu announced it is recruiting participants for the "Alley-Type Shopping Street Joint Marketing Support Project" to inject vitality into alleyway commercial areas experiencing difficulties due to the economic downturn and sluggish domestic demand.

Front view of Buk-gu Office, Gwangju.

This project aims to enhance the competitiveness of small businesses and the sustainability of commercial districts by supporting customized marketing events that reflect the unique characteristics of alley-type shopping streets and each individual district.

The eligible recipients are the merchants' associations of alley-type shopping streets in Buk-gu, as defined by the "Special Act on the Promotion of Traditional Markets and Shopping Districts." Buk-gu plans to select approximately 20 locations and provide up to 9 million won in project funding for each shopping street.

The funding can be used for operating marketing events, organizing consumption-promotion campaigns, SNS promotions, and developing specialized programs tailored to each commercial district. The district will prioritize experiential and participatory projects that leverage the unique features of each alley shopping street to encourage repeat visits from residents, rather than simply supporting one-off events.

The application deadline is May 28. Once a business plan is submitted by a shopping street, the district office will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of appropriateness, effectiveness, and efficiency before finalizing the recipients. In particular, applicants will receive extra points during the screening process if they propose differentiated content that highlights the characteristics of alley commercial districts or if they introduce interconnected programs that drive traffic to multiple stores.

After the open call and the distribution of support funds in the second half of this year, the selected shopping streets will actively conduct their own marketing events, such as receipt collection events, promotional material production, and prize draws. With approximately 22,000 stores currently belonging to alley-type shopping streets in Buk-gu, this project is expected to have a significant positive impact on small business sales.

Merchant associations wishing to participate can refer to the notice posted on the Buk-gu District Office's website and submit the required documents. For further details, they can contact the Small Business Support Division at the Buk-gu District Office.

A Buk-gu official stated, "We hope this project will give alley commercial districts a chance to recover amid the prolonged economic downturn," adding, "We will continue to actively support the creation of attractive alley districts that residents want to revisit, so that we can provide tangible help to small businesses."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.